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The 
National McKinlev Birthplace 

Memorial Association 



Proposal to build a 

Monument ami Memorial 
to William \UKmlcv 

at Miles, Ohio, the place of his birth 



(*b 



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BVTP*' 








.'- ' 




^flWHI M Kinlej Birth- 

I) ' 

i ' lent w ilium 

III 1 1 i '■ 

in tin 

l • • une 

A]U \ : William M< Kinley, late 

• America, bj 

i mai: • 
the :hc pi : his b 

;.il Boildin I he iii- 

named in tl ( - 

Hut'. I H f.G midlapp, 

SV. A. Thorn 
t that the < 
Ohi . h ild be te I the »ley 

ined to pi the 

'.' k family heirlo 

the 
life . • the late Pre ident tnd his im- 






mediate family. For not only Niles, but also the 
country for a score of miles around, affords many 
extremely interesting historical data, mementoes, 
etc. pertaining to the young man McKinley, 
the Soldier, the Congressman, and finally the 
President. 

He was born in Niles and attended the public 
schools there, completing his education in the 
then locally famous seminary at Poland, Ohio, 
which is a dozen miles southeast of Niles. He en- 
listed in the Union Army from Poland, and after 
the Civil War was concluded, he returned to 
that locality determined as a good citizen to 
make his own way in life. While later at the 
solicitation of a sister he removed to Canton, 
Ohio, and there made his home, yet in every 
great moment of his after eventful life, he turned 
to those boyhood friends still residing in Niles, 
Poland and Youngstown for the generous co- 
operation which never failed him. During his 
Congressional contests, this portion of his district 
remained the impregnable McKinley Gibraltar. 
His subsequent career is bound up inseparably 
with the history of the Nation. But on the 
occasion of his visits, infrequent because of 
Presidential duties confining him closely to the 
Capitol, he always referred with earnest feeling 
to his "coming back home." 

A striking co-incidence with the birth of 
William McKinley in the city of Niles, is found 
in the fact that the first mill of size for the mak- 



[8] 



ing of tin plate as an American industry whose 
very existence was made possible only by the 
passage of the McKinley tariff law in 1 890, was 
built in Niles within one year and a half after 
the McKinley law was placed on the statute 
books of the Nation. It was an actual, concrete 
vindication in the eyes of his old neighbors of 
his lifelong advocacy before the electorate of the 
United States of the Protective Tariff System. 
Other tin plate mills were later built in Niles, 
as well as sheet mills, until today it is recognized 
as one of the country's centers of production of 
sheet material that daily enters into the life of 
every home-maker. 

William McKinley, Sr., father of the future 
President, was managing a blast furnace at Niles 
when his son was born. It was from his father 
that the lad early absorbed his practical knowl- 
edge of the iron business as well as of its ups 
and downs commercially, and those early lessons 
in the need of a Protective Tariff were borne in 
upon him by the stern medium of actual domes- 
tic experience. Therefore, in many ways, Niles 
became the very cradle of the American system 
of Protective Tariff embodied in the so-called 
McKinley Bill. 

The McKinley Birthplace Memorial at Niles, 
Ohio, will mark the birthplace of a statesman 
who holds a peculiarly intimate place in the 
hearts of his fellow countrymen; a place won by 
his singularly winning personality, his sterling 

[9] 



integrity, his purity of motive, his unblemished 
life, and more than all, by his unflagging and 
whole-hearted devotion to his invalid wife. In 
all the range of American History, the memory 
of few statesmen who attained the Presidency 
and who exerted such a powerful influence upon 
the after history of their country is held in the 
same reverence as is that of William McKinley 
in the entire Mahoning Valley today. No mem- 
orial of granite is needed to perpetuate his memory 
in that portion of Eastern Ohio. From father to 
son and from mother to daughter the stories of 
his unfaltering Christian faith, his devotion to his 
home, his nobility of character, his unfailing 
cheerfulness under most trying circumstances and 
his democratic and ever modest every-day lite, 
have been and are today being handed down at 
every hearthstone in the old Eighteenth Con- 
gressional District. However, in the proposed 
Memorial would be preserved for personal obser- 
vation many mementoes of the man as he had 
lived, serving as actual pages in the volume of 
patriotism and devotion that he wrote for the 
guidance of the youth of America. 

The residence of the President at Canton, Ohio, 
has been permitted to pass out of the possession 
of the family and can never again serve the pur- 
pose of a Memorial because it has been devoted 
to hospital uses. The old house in which the 
future President was born at Niles has fallen into 
decay and has been removed. There remains, 

[10] 



then, only one way to establish a suitable Mem- 
orial. That way is to build it. 

For the purpose of securing funds whereby 
such a suitable building as well as a distinguishing 
Monument to the life and name of President 
William McKinley can be devoted, this Associa- 
tion has been chartered by the Congress of the 
United States. Already several substantial sub- 
scriptions are pledged and more are in prospect. 
The Incorporators met on May 17, 191 1, in 
New York City and effected formal organization 
by the election of the following named Officers: 
President, 
J. G. Butler, Jr., Youngstown, Ohio. 

Vice- President, 
John G. Milburn, New York City. 

Treasurer, 

J. G. Schmidlapp, Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Secretary, 

W. A. Thomas, Niles, Ohio. 

Executive Com?nittee : 

Myron T. Herrick, Chairman, Cleveland, Ohio; 

J. G. Butler, Jr. and W. A. Thomas. 

The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial 
Association presents this cause to you, believing 
that every American, every lover of the good 
and true in humanity, every admirer of the man 
McKinley and every recipient of the benefactions 
that have followed the adoption of the wise and 
benevolent policies of the statesman McKinley, 



will feel that he owes it to himself and his country 
to contribute to the establishment of the proposed 
Memorial. 

The proposal has been enthusiastically received 
by the city of Niles, and at a recent mass meet- 
ing of its citizens it was determined to contribute 
the site and to secure an adequate endowment 
fund, which will insure in perpetuity the suitable 
maintenance of the Memorial. 



["] 



Srctj'fcst Congress of tbc ^nitfb States of ^mtria; 

At the Third Session, 

Begun mm! held at the CityoJ Wasl ' on Monday, the fifth day of December, one 

: midred and ten. 



\X ACT 
To incorporate the National McKinlej Birthplace Memorial .Association. 



It, U enacted by th >•-"'■ ""'' Hon* of Repn ' ih " Cnited 

s ,. i , i> .., ,. . bled. That the following-named persona, 

namely. J. G. Butler, junior, >•! Ohio: Myron T. Bewick, of Ohio; J. G. 
Schmidlapj.. of Ohio: John (I. Milburn. of New iork; and W. A. Thomas, of 
Ohio th. ir associate, and sn.nvssors. duly chosen, are hereby incorporated and 
( ,,. (1; „„l ,„ |„. „ | M „h r „rporatc of the District of Columbia by the name of the 

Nati i Yf.-Kinlov Birthplace Mc rial Association, and by such nam.- shall 

bo known and ha've perpetual succession with the powers, limitations, ind 
restrictions heroin contained. 

Skc 2 Thai Hi. "I'icct of the corporation shall be to perpetuate the 
and achievements ol William McKinley. late ['resident of the Cnited ? 
of iVm crica, b> erecting and maintaining in the city of Xiles, in the State ol 

Ohio the place of hi- birth, a micnl and memorial building. 

S| , 3 fhat the management and direction of the affairs of the corporation 
and th( . ,„ntr«l and disposition of its propertj and funds shall be vested ma 

board of trus live in number, to I I of the individuals named m 

S1 . rli „, „,,!,- Vct.v, hall constitute the first board of trustees. V* 

,.„„.,, |„ death, resignation, or otherwise, shall 1- filled bj the remaining 

tn.stcesi'nsuchm. r as shall be prescribed f r time to time by the by-laws 

of, I orporation. The F rsons so cleeled shall thereupon become trustees 

and also members of the coriwration. 

Skc. 4. That said conK.ration shall hold its such place aa the 

i, iiorators or their successors shall determine. 

Lc. 5. That the board of trustees shall titled to take s hold, and 

administer anv securities, funds, or property, real or personal, which may at 
any time bo given, devised, or bequeathed to them or to the corporation for 
thc purposes herein defined, and ... purchase necessary land, for site and to -1) 

a„d convey by I and sufficient deed any other lands .ha. may b< 

devised, .. r bequeathed to .he corporation, and to convert .he same mtou | 

wit h full power from time to time to adopt a common seal, to appou 

offi , ,„ and agents, whether members of .he hoard of trustees or other* ise, u 



i;i.\ he deemed necessary for carrying out the objects of the corporation: with 

- r to adopt by-laws and such rules or regulations as shall be deemed 

--in t secure the safe and convenienl transaction of the business ol the 

ration: and with full power and discretion to invesl am principal and deal 

wit I tnd expend the income of the corporation in such manner as in the judgment 

ic trustees will best promote the objects hereinbefore set forth: and. in 
general, to have and use all the powers and authority necessary and proper to 

I"'" 1 "" 1 '' sucn objects I carry out the purposes of the corporation. The trustees 

shall have power to hold as investments any securities given, assigned, or 
transferred to them or to the corporation bj any person, persons, or corporation, 
an,! '" wl hi. s ich investments, and to invesl any sums or amounts from time to 
tune in such securities and in such form and manner as maj be permitted to 

trustees or to charitable or literary corjiorations for invostmei rding to the 

theSti ! Ohio, or in such securities as may he authorized for investment 

l>,\ any deed ol trust or by any a.i or deed oi -In uf lasl will and testament. 

Sec. 6. Thai all personal properly and funds of the corjioration held, or 
u ed for the purposes hereof, pursuant to the provisions ,,! ibis Act. whether 
of principal or income, shall, so long as ihc same shall be so used, be exempt 
from taxation by the United States or any Territory or district i hereof: Provided, 
Thai said corporation shall not accept, own or hold directly or indirectly any 
properly real or personal except siah as may be reasonably necessary to carry 
out lie- purposes id' iis creation as defined in this A. i . 

SEC. 7. That the services of the trustees, when a. im.j a- such, shall he 
gratuitous, but the corporation may prn\ ide for the reasonable expenses incurred 
by the trustees in attending meetings or otherwise in tiie performance of their 
duties. 

Skc. 8. That this charter shall take effect upon its l>ein» accepted l>\ a 
majority vote of the incorporators named herein, who shall k present nl ihe 
first meeting of the corporation, due notice of which meeting shall he given |o 
each of ihe incorporators named herein, and a notice of bucIi acceptance shall 
he given by said corporation causing a certificate to thai effeel signed l>y iis 
president and secretary to he filed in the office of the recorder of deeds of the 

I'istrict of Columbia. 

SEC. '.). That Congress may from lime to time alter. rej>oal, or modify this 
Act of incorporation, hut no contract or individual right made or acquired shall 
thereby be divested or unpaired. 



^^W-'V/ 




AC<^ i-^/ 




%u^^ A f///. 



Speaker of the House of Representative}. 

of the United Slates and 

President of thi Senate. 



AN ACT 

To incorporate the National McKinley Birth- 
place Memorial Association. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives of the United States of America in 
Congress assembled, That the following named 
persons, namely, J. G. Butler, junior, of Ohio; 
Myron T. Herrick, of Ohio; J. G. Schmidlapp, 
of Ohio; John G. Milburn, of New York; and 
W. A. Thomas, of Ohio, their associates and 
successors, duly chosen, are hereby incorporated 
and declared to be a body corporate of the Dis- 
trict of Columbia by the name of the National 
McKinley Birthplace Memorial Association, and 
by such name shall be known and have perpetual 
succession with the powers, limitations, and re- 
strictions herein contained. 

Sec. 2. That the object of the corporation 
shall be to perpetuate the name and achievements 
of William McKinley, late President of the 
United States of America, by erecting and main- 
taining in the city of Niles, in the State of Ohio, 
the place of his birth, a monument and memorial 
building. 

[13] 



Sec. 3. That the management and direction 
of the affairs of the corporation and the control 
and disposition of its property and funds shall be 
vested in a board of trustees, five in number, to 
be composed of the individuals named in section 
one of this act, who shall constitute the first board 
of trustees. Vacancies caused by death, resignation, 
or otherwise, shall be filled by the remaining 
trustees in such manner as shall be prescribed 
from time to time by the by-laws of the corpora- 
tion. The persons so elected shall thereupon 
become trustees and also members of the corpora- 
tion. 

Sec. 4. That said corporation shall hold its 
meetings in such place as the incorporators or 
their successors shall determine. 

Sec. 5. That the board of trustees shall be 
entitled to take, hold, and administer any secur- 
ities, funds, or property, real or personal, which 
may at any time be given, devised, or bequeathed to 
them or to the corporation for the purposes herein 
defined, and to purchase necessary lands for site 
and to sell and convey by good and sufficient 
deed any other lands that may be given, devised, 
or bequeathed to the corporation, and to convert 
the same into money; with full power from time 
to time to adopt a common seal, to appoint such 
officers and agents, whether members of the board 
of trustees or otherwise, as may be deemed 
necessary for carrying out the objects of the 
corporation; with full power to adopt by-laws and 

[H] 



such rules or regulations as shall be deemed 
necessary to secure the safe and convenient trans- 
action of the business of the corporation; and 
with full power and discretion to invest any 
principal and deal with and expend the income 
of the corporation in such manner as in the judg- 
ment of the trustees will best promote the objects 
hereinbefore set forth; and, in general, to have 
and use all the powers and authority necessary 
and proper to promote such objects and carry 
out the purposes of the corporation. The trust- 
ees shall have power to hold as investments 
any securities given, assigned, or transferred to 
them or to the corporation by any person, persons, 
or corporation, and to retain such investments, 
and to invest any sums or amounts from time to 
time in such securities and in such form and 
manner as may be permitted to trustees or to 
charitable or literary corporations for investment 
according to the laws of the State of Ohio, or in 
such securities as may be authorized for invest- 
ment by any deed of trust or by any act or deed 
of gift or last will and testament. 

Sec. 6. That all personal property and funds 
of the corporation held, or used for the purpose 
hereof, pursuant to the provisions of this Act, 
whether of principal or income, shall, so long as 
the same shall be so used, be exempt from tax- 
ation by the United States or any Territory or 
district thereof: Provided, That said corporation 
shall not accept, own or hold directly or indirect- 

[*5] 



ly any property real or personal except such as 
may be reasonably necessary to carry out the 
purposes of its creation as defined in this A6t. 

Sec. 7. That the services of the trustees, when 
acting as such, shall be gratuitous, but the cor- 
poration may provide for the reasonable expenses 
incurred by the trustees in attending meetings or 
otherwise in the performance of their duties. 

Sec. 8 That this charter shall take effect upon 
its being accepted by a majority vote of the in- 
corporators named herein, who shall be present 
at the first meeting of the corporation, due notice 
of which meeting shall be given to each of the 
incorporators named herein, and a notice of such 
acceptance shall be given by said corporation 
causing a certificate to that effect signed by its 
president and secretary to be riled in the office of 
the recorder of deeds of the District of Columbia. 

Sec. 9. That Congress may from time to time, 
alter, repeal, or modify this Act of incorporation, 
but no contract or individual right made or ac- 
quired shall thereby be divested or impaired. 

J. G. CANNON, 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

J. S. SHERMAN, 

Vice-President of the United States and President 
of the Senate. 

Approved: WM. H. TAFT, March 4, 191 1. 



[16] 



Letters of Endorsement 





INCE the formal chartering of 
the National McKinley Birth- 
place Memorial Association, 
many letters have been received 
by Mr. J. G. Butler, Jr., who 
long has been planning such a 
movement. These letters are trom such friends 
of the late President as President Taft ; Willis L. 
King of the Jones & Laughlin Steel Co.; Judge 
E. H. Gary, chairman of the United States Steel 
Corporation ; Hon. Myron T. Herrick, former 
Governor of Ohio; Hon. Whitelaw Reid, Ameri- 
can ambassador to Great Britain ; and many 
others. All of these men who knew President 
McKinley and the great work he did for the 
advancement of his country politically and com- 
mercially, placing the United States among the 
great World Powers of today, heartily endorse 
the McKinley Birthplace Memorial movement. 
Some of these letters follow : 



[18] 




From PRESIDENT TAFT 




I am in receipt of your letter in which you speak 
of your plan for a Memorial Hall and Monument at 
Niles, Ohio, to perpetuate the name of the late Pres- 
ident McKinley. 

I heartily sympathize with this movement, and hope 
that it may have the success which its object deserves. 
William McKinley was a man whom it was a great 
pleasure and inspiration to know. His high patrio- 
tism, his steadfastness of purpose and devotion to duty, 
his gentleness, his cheering optimism, all endeared him 
to those who came in personal touch with him as well 
as to the general public, who acquired their knowledge 
of him from his long service to the country. He was 
a man who rose to the exigency, and whose capacity 
and greatness impressed themselves upon everyone, 
even his intimates, as the crisis in the country's welfare 
developed. The demands of the Spanish War and the 
enormous responsibilities that followed it, called out 
his innate abilities and seemed to expand them in a 
marvelous way. 



[19] 





From ANDREW CARNEGIE 



Mr. Carnegie is pre-eminently a practical man. 
Ever a strong admirer of President McKinley, the 
man and the statesman, he has given a ringing endorse- 
ment to the proposal to build a Memorial at the birth- 
place of the martyred President, in his practical and 
characteristic manner by causing to be transmitted to 
the President of the McKinley Birthplace Memorial 
Association the following note: 

"Mr. Carnegie has received yours or October 2nd 
and will be glad to provide the last Five Thousand 
Dollars of the One Hundred Thousand Dollars you 
are raising for a McKinlev Birthplace Memorial 
Fund." 

The contribution from him came unsolicited. 



[20] 




From WILLIS L. KING 

Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. 




I have learned with much pleasure of your purpose 
to erect a Monument to the memory of William 
McKinley, and no spot seems more fitting than the 
place of his birth at Niles, Ohio. 

For many centuries the old world has taken this 
method of encouraging coming generations to emulate 
the virtues and achievements of its great men, but our 
country is young and has not, until recently, looked 
with favor on this plan, being content to leave the task 
to the historian. 

McKinley was a plain man of the people, but did 
his duty as he saw it, faithfully. He was always ani- 
mated by a desire to better the condition of his 
countrymen, regardless of class or position, and he 
believed that a Protective Tariff could best accomplish 
this. He was permitted before his death to see in 
some part the result of his efforts, but not the fullness 
apparent to us. 

I hope you will be successful, as you ought to be, in 
bringing about this recognition of his work, and as the 
country prospers and grows great in coming years, this 
Monument will typify in some measure the place he 
held in the hearts of a grateful people. 



["] 




From JUDGE E. H. GARY 

United States Steel Corporation 




I am greatly pleased to learn of your intention to 
raise a substantial subscription to build a Memorial to 
President McKinley at his birthplace. The project 
seems worthy; and has my cordial endorsement and 
support. 

I sincerely trust your efforts will be crowned with 
success. 



[«] 





From MYRON T. HERRICK 

Former Governor of Ohio 



I am very greatly interested in the proposed 
McKinley Monument at Niles, Ohio. 

The great service that President McKinley rendered 
the Nation and his State make it particularly approp- 
riate that his birthplace should have a fitting Monument 
to his memory. His life and activities are an inspira- 
tion to the highest type of citizenship, and the people 
of Ohio owe it to themselves and the Nation to erect 
a suitable Memorial to this great statesman in this city 
which was honored by his birth. 



[*3] 





From GEORGE B. CORTELYOU 

Former Secretary of Treasury 



The plan to erect a suitable Memorial to the late 
President McKinley, at Niles, Ohio, his birthplace, is 
a commendable one and I hope will meet with success. 
Anything that serves to recall the record of his life, 
character and public service is entitled to the hearty 
support of the American people. 



[*4] 




From WHITELAW REID 

United States Ambassador to Court of St. James 




I was glad to learn from your letter of the 13th, the 
degree of encouragement you have already received 
with regard to the proposed McKinley Memorial, to be 
erected at the birthplace of the late President. Now 
that the homestead at Canton is no longer available, 
it is certainly an excellent idea to have at his birthplace 
a Memorial Hall, in which his friends and admirers may 
preserve many things connected with his life and career, 
which would otherwise be scattered, and I hope to hear 
that your public-spirited plan is meeting with the 
encouragement it deserves. 



[*5] 



From JAMES M. SWANK 

>"St^JP General Manager of American Iron and Steel Association 





I have your letter of February 28th. Ohio Pro- 
tectionists will do well to assist you in the erection of 
a Monument to McKinley whose advocacy of the 
Protective Policy made him easily the foremost of all 
believers in that policy in your State and eventually, 
made him President of the United States. I have 
never seen Niles, McKinley's birthplace, but have no 
doubt that the people of that town will consider them- 
selves honored in having a Monument erected where 
he was born and spent his boyhood. 

It is a constant source of regret to me that Penn- 
sylvania has not similarly honored her great Protec- 
tionists, Carey, Colwell, Kelley and Randall, and now 
that he has gone, I may add, Joseph Wharton. I hope 
that you will meet with abundant success in the effort 
you are making to secure funds to erect a Monument 
that will be worthy of McKinley's fame and worthy of 
Ohio Protectionists. 



[26] 





From THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

Former President of the United States 



I was glad to learn of the proposal to raise a 
Memorial to the late President McKinley at his birth- 
place, Niles, Ohio. I wish all success to the effort. 

Most cordially I wish to reaffirm what I said at the 
banquet at Canton, Ohio, on January 27, 1903, which 
was held in honor of the birthday of the late President: 

"It was given to President McKinley to take the 
foremost place in our political life at a time when our 
country was brought face to face with problems more 
momentous than any whose solution we have ever 
attempted, save only in the Revolution and in the 
Civil War; and it was under his leadership that the 
Nation solved these mighty problems aright. There- 
fore he shall stand in the eyes of history not merely 
as the first man of his generation, but as among the 
greatest figures in our national life, coming second only 
to the men of the two great crises in which the Union 
was founded and preserved." 



[*7] 




From His Eminence, 
JAMES CARDINAL GIBBONS 




I assure you that I am most pleased to learn of the 
proposed erection of a Memorial to the late President 
McKinley at his birthplace, Niles, Ohio. 

This is indeed a most worthy undertaking and I 
sincerely hope that you will be most successful in your 
efforts for its realization. 

I had the honor and privilege of enjoying the 
personal friendship of Mr. McKinlev. I admired him 
greatly and he was in truth, a glory of his country. 



[28] 




From JOHN K. TENER 

Governor of Pennsylvania 




I am sincerely gratified to learn of your effort to 
erect a proper Memorial at the birthplace of the late 
William McKinley. 

Always having been an ardent admirer of that 
eminent statesman, I do not think there is anything 
that would perpetuate his memory to a greater extent 
than to carry to a successful conclusion the worthy 
object in which you are so deeply interested. 



r*9] 




From CHARLES E. HUGHES 

Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court 




I am gratified to know that it is proposed to erect a 
suitable Memorial to the late President McKinley at 
his birthplace. This proposal, I am sure, will make a 
strong appeal to National sentiment, and I take pleasure 
in sending to you my best wishes for the success of the 
work of the Memorial Association. 



[30] 




From SETH LOW 

Former Mayor of New York Gity 




I am glad to learn of the purpose of the Association 
of which you are the President, to make a national 
Memorial for President McKinley at his birthplace at 
Niles, Ohio. 

The memory of President McKinley is one of the 
most precious heritages of the American people. Every 
American who recalls his heroic bearing, and the noble 
characteristics which he displayed, after he had received 
his fatal wound, may well say: 

"Better than new Californias every year are such 
examples as these to a nation that would be noble." 

I shall take great pleasure in becoming a member of 
the Association. 



[3i] 




From ALBERT B. CUMMINS 

U. S. Senator from Iowa 




I have known a great many of the men who, in the 
last quarter of a century, have devoted their lives to 
the public service. I knew William McKinley intimate- 
ly, and I have no hesitation in saying that among all 
the public men of my acquaintance no one surpassed 
him in strength and gentleness. All things considered, 
he was the first man of his generation. 

I earnestly hope you will be successful in the under- 
taking which you have proposed for yourself. 



I>] 




From RT. REV. WM. A. LEONARD 

Bishop of Ohio 




I have read your interesting outline of the proposed 
Memorial, to be built at the birth-place of the late 
President McKinley. It is a project which should re- 
ceive the loving and generous aid of his many friends 
throughout the United States. It is in keeping with the 
spirit of Americans who desire to perpetuate, for the 
generations to come, a knowledge of the high character 
of our heroes and statesmen. I trust you will be success- 
ful in your undertaking, and beg to assure you of my 
personal interest in it. 



[33] 




From JUDSON HARMON 

Covernor of Ohio 




I am heartily in favor of the plan you propose to 
perpetuate the memory of our good Governor and 
President, William McKinley, at the place of his birth. 
Such memorials do much to keep alive the spirit of 
patriotism among our people, especially the young, and 
I wish you success in your undertaking. 



[34] 




From WILLIAM R. DAY 

Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court 




I am glad to note the organization of an association 
to build a proper Memorial at Niles, Ohio, commemo- 
rating the life and character of the late President 
McKinley at the place of his birth. No more suitable 
spot can be found for such a Memorial than the place 
of his birth and early residence. I am glad to find the 
project in such worthy hands, and wish you abundant 
success in the undertaking. 



[35] 




From CHASE S. OSBORN 

Governor of Michigan 




I am glad to give my full approval to your plan to 
erect a Monument and Memorial Hall at Niles, Ohio, 
to perpetually distinguish the birthplace of William 
McKinley. 



[36] 





From JOSEPH B. FORAKER 

Former U.S. Senator from Ohio 



On my return here I found awaiting me your letter 
of September 26th in regard to the erection of some 
kind of a Memorial in honor of President McKinley 
at Niles to mark, his birthplace. 

I think it most appropriate to do something of the 
kind. The birthplace of almost every President we 
have had is marked in some such way. Surely President 
McKinley is well entitled to such a remembrance and 
those who knew him as you did and were contemporane- 
ous with him in the great public service with which he 
is identified, should look after the matter as you are 
proposing to do. 

I sincerely wish you every success. 



[37] 



Wit JJtnton J3rcss Companr 
Cleveland 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



013 788 307 7 



